Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / BRIAN BROWN RACING – GRAIN VALLEY, MO – In all, a consistent effort for “Blackjack” Brian Brown and Brian Brown Racing in the “Granddaddy of them All,” not only securing himself a position in Saturday night’s 50-lap, $185,000-to-win Knoxville Nationals finale, but climbing to 14th in the process, maintaining his position as one of the best to ever wheel at the Sprint Car Capital of the World.
Brown, ace of the Casey’s, FVP, Andy’s Frozen Custard, Impact Signs Awnings and Wraps, Mt. Dew Overdrive, HAWK Hunting, Ditzfeld Transfer, No. 21 sprint car, earned his place in the Knoxville Nationals 50-lapper by way of the evening’s B-Main, finishing third in the 22-lap affair to “lock in.” The Higginsville, Missouri, native, who operates his program out of Grain Valley, went on to start 19th on Knoxville’s finale grid.
Brown was forced to start Saturday’s B-Main as the result of his Thursday preliminary effort. The six-time Knoxville Raceway winner this season finished 11th during his respective preliminary main event, acquiring enough points to secure a Saturday B-Main position, but not quite enough to automatically lock into the 50-lap finale.
“Overall, just a decent week for us. We had really high hopes going in, but sometimes things just don’t work out as planned,” Brown suggested. “My guys never gave up. They fought right with me until the end, and that’s what I’m most proud of. We worked and worked and worked…that got us to the ‘A’ on Saturday. Some bad info on my behalf probably kept us from climbing to a top ten or top five, but overall, we are pleased with the outcome.”